After having been a “household executive” for over three decades, I started looking for a job. Entering this new season required new information, and that meant research. I found various online assessments to help narrow down the type of job I might find most suitable. One test began with this question: Are you a thing …
Around the time our third son joined the family, a dear church friend started a preschool for a small group of children, including our oldest son. Debbie used all sorts of creative tools and techniques to challenge these bright youngsters. One day she showed them a photograph of a recent earthquake, asking what they thought …
A few months ago our brother-in-law (married to one of JB’s sisters) stopped in for a few days during a cross-country trek. A retired Navy helicopter pilot and former aircraft carrier commanding officer, he now volunteers many hours building houses with Habitat for Humanity. Looking around our place he asked if we needed help with …
Years ago, our oldest son’s teacher asked students to answer the question, “What makes you unique?” Staring at that blank sheet of paper I would have felt compelled to write a lengthy paragraph listing numerous distinctives, hoping to impress the teacher with my thoughts. In contrast, and despite turning in a nearly blank page, Jeremy …
When I worked at an insurance company before the pandemic, our branch manager liked to offer snacks as a small token of her appreciation for the employees. Hence, every other Friday we pulled out an old-fashioned popcorn popper. The fragrance it produced wafted through the air, eliciting enthusiastic comments across the office. Looking back, I …
Growing up I used to say this prayer before meals: “God is great; God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen.” (I always recited it in a 4/4 rhythm with Ah-men as the last two beats.) Little did I know that I was speaking one of the greatest truths in the universe …
If you were a king, what kind of legacy would you leave? I and II Chronicles follows the sad, roller coaster account of Judah’s rulers. Comparing the first three is enlightening. King Saul wowed the citizens with his height and good looks. Relying on his outward appearance he lacked inner strength. In reality, he was …
The largest land animals, elephants are amazing creatures. They can carry the equivalent weight of over 100 human adults. Their powerful trunks can uproot trees or hold up to four gallons of water at a time. Their sense of smell is over 100 times greater than a dog’s. They only sleep 2-3 hours a day. …
I was quietly minding my own business (as any introverted college freshman girl would), checking my school mailbox, when someone suddenly rushed from behind and tickled both sides of my ribs. Surprised, I turned around only to see another shocked face–an upperclassman who’d intended to play a joke on his friend! Seeing my bewilderment at …
In a twist on the famous quote, Desmond Tutu once said, “We learn from history that we don’t learn from history!” In other words, humans keep making the same mistakes. A recent reading in 2 Chronicles highlighted this truth for me. After King Solomon’s death, Israel divided into two separate entities, the southern and northern …
I recently had a cyst removed from my jawbone. The oral surgery took less than an hour, and I woke from the general anesthesia surprised at how swiftly those sixty minutes went by. My sense of time differed from the doctor’s because he was conscious of its passing while I was not. We travel through …
As part of my job, I attend monthly meetings with IT providers from all over North America. Their unique personalities intrigue me and I learn something new at each group’s gatherings. When put on the spot or held accountable to a previous commitment, they respond in interesting ways. Some stay silent until forced to answer. …
